The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 51-year-old Maria Elena Menjivar for DUI Manslaughter following a single-vehicle crash early Monday morning that resulted in the death of her passenger.
At 2:31 a.m. on April 14, 2025, deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a vehicle crash on 78th Street North under the Selmon Crosstown Expressway. The caller stated that a van had collided with the concrete median and was on fire.
Deputies arrived and rescued Menjivar, the driver, and her passenger, 54-year-old Emilio Alfaro-Herrera, from the burning van. Both were transported to Tampa General Hospital. Alfaro-Herrera was later pronounced deceased.
During the investigation, deputies observed signs of impairment in Menjivar, and her blood alcohol concentration was found to be 0.200, exceeding the legal limit.
Sheriff Chad Chronister stated, “There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel while impaired. One reckless decision took an innocent life. This tragedy should remind us all how devastating the consequences of impaired driving can be. Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones.”
The investigation into the crash remains active.
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